Biology of Human Malaria Plasmodia Including Plasmodium Knowlesi

Malaria is a vector-borne infection caused by unicellular parasite of the genus Plasmodium. Plasmodia are obligate intracellular parasites that are able to infect and replicate within the erythrocytes after a clinically silent replication phase in the liver. Four species (P.falciparum, P.malariae, P.ovale and P.vivax) are traditionally recognized as responsible of natural infection in human beings but the recent upsurge of P.knowlesi malaria in South-East Asia has led clinicians to consider it as the fifth human malaria parasite. Recent studies in wild-living apes in Africa have revealed that P.falciparum, the most deadly form of human malaria, is not only human-host restricted as previously believed and its phylogenetic lineage is much more complex with new species identified in gorilla, bonobo and chimpanzee. Although less impressive, new data on biology of P.malariae, P.ovale and P.vivax are also emerging and will be briefly discussed in this review

Moving Upstream: An Intersectoral Collaboration to Build Sustainable Planning Capacity in Rural and Appalachian Communities

As part of an effort to address health inequities in Appalachian and rural Ohio, the state’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services developed an upstream intersectoral health innovation that specifically addressed the lack of infrastructure and other capacity issues that create barriers to obtaining federally funded prevention services among communities with the highest need for those services. The department partnered with two nonprofit organizations and a university to create a performance-based, stepping-stone investment strategy that provided monetary awards to community organizations and included intensive, customized training and technical assistance that promoted capacity- building for data-driven strategic planning. This article discusses successes and lessons learned from implementing this infrastructure development initiative, which strengthened capacity of local prevention workforces in six Appalachian and rural communities. The findings will be helpful to foundations as they structure and evaluate funding opportunities to sustainably address persistent inequities in health and mental health

Double real estate evaluation

In the traditional methodology the two main approaches to estimate the market value are the synthetic procedure and the analytic procedure, that correspond respectively to the market comparison approach and to the method for direct capitalization, according to the valuation standards. In professional practice, the two procedures are often used to confirm the final result of he appraisal or to verify the results of one with the other. However the main purpose of using the two procedures independently in the estimate of the market value is to incorporate more data and market information and to work with a broader range of methodological tools.In the traditional methodology the two main approaches to estimate the market value are the synthetic procedure and the analytic procedure, that correspond respectively to the market comparison approach and to the method for direct capitalization, according to the valuation standards. In professional practice, the two procedures are often used to confirm the final result of he appraisal or to verify the results of one with the other. However the main purpose of using the two procedures independently in the estimate of the market value is to incorporate more data and market information and to work with a broader range of methodological tools

A simulation approach to assessing environmental risk of sound exposure to marine mammals

Intense underwater sounds caused by military sonar, seismic surveys, and pile driving can harm acoustically sensitive marine mammals. Many jurisdictions require such activities to undergo marine mammal impact assessments to guide mitigation. However, the ability to assess impacts in a rigorous, quantitative way is hindered by large knowledge gaps concerning hearing ability, sensitivity, and behavioral responses to noise exposure. We describe a simulation-based framework, called SAFESIMM (Statistical Algorithms For Estimating the Sonar Influence on Marine Megafauna), that can be used to calculate the numbers of agents (animals) likely to be affected by intense underwater sounds. We illustrate the simulation framework using two species that are likely to be affected by marine renewable energy developments in UK waters: gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) and harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). We investigate three sources of uncertainty: How sound energy is perceived by agents with differing hearing abilities; how agents move in response to noise (i.e., the strength and directionality of their evasive movements); and the way in which these responses may interact with longer term constraints on agent movement. The estimate of received sound exposure level (SEL) is influenced most strongly by the weighting function used to account for the specie's presumed hearing ability. Strongly directional movement away from the sound source can cause modest reductions (~5 dB) in SEL over the short term (periods of less than 10 days). Beyond 10 days, the way in which agents respond to noise exposure has little or no effect on SEL, unless their movements are constrained by natural boundaries. Most experimental studies of noise impacts have been short-term. However, data are needed on long-term effects because uncertainty about predicted SELs accumulates over time. Synthesis and applications. Simulation frameworks offer a powerful way to explore, understand, and estimate effects of cumulative sound exposure on marine mammals and to quantify associated levels of uncertainty. However, they can often require subjective decisions that have important consequences for management recommendations, and the basis for these decisions must be clearly described.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Ocean acidification bends the Mermaid’s Wineglass

Ocean acidification lowers the saturation state of calcium carbonate, decreasing net calcification and compromising the skeletons of organisms such as corals, molluscs and algae. These calcified structures can protect organisms from predation and improve access to light, nutrients and dispersive currents. While some species (such as urchins, corals and mussels) survive with decreased calcification, they can suffer from inferior mechanical performance. Here, we used cantilever beam theory to test the hypothesis that decreased calcification would impair the mechanical performance of the green alga Acetabularia acetabulum along a CO2 gradient created by volcanic seeps off Vulcano, Italy. Calcification and mechanical properties declined as calcium carbonate saturation fell; algae at 2283 matm CO2 were 32% less calcified, 40% less stiff and 40% droopier. Moreover, calcification was not a linear proxy for mechanical performance; stem stiffness decreased exponentially with reduced calcification. Although calcifying organisms can tolerate high CO2 conditions, even subtle changes in calcification can cause dramatic changes in skeletal performance, which may in turn affect key biotic and abiotic interactions

The Italian Implementation of the EU Directives on Procedural Safeguards for Accused Persons in Criminal Proceedings

Questo saggio è stato sviluppato nel corso di un progetto di ricerca di 30 mesi finanziato dalla Commissione europea - CrossJustice (https://site.unibo.it/cross-justice/en), condotto sotto la supervisione dell'Università di Bologna. L'obiettivo del progetto era verificare il livello di attuazione delle sei direttive sui diritti dell'imputato adottate dal 2009 nell'ambito del Programma di Stoccolma. La ricerca ha esaminato criticamente i diritti dell'imputato riconosciuti e tutelati dalla Direttiva 2010/64/UE del 20 ottobre 2010 sul diritto all'interpretazione e alla traduzione; dalla Direttiva 2012/13/UE del 22 maggio 2012 sul diritto all'informazione; la Direttiva 2013/48/UE sul diritto di accesso a un difensore e di informazione di terzi; la Direttiva 2016/343/UE del 9 marzo 2016 sulla presunzione di innocenza e il diritto di presenziare al processo; la Direttiva 2016/800/UE sulle garanzie procedurali per gli imputati minorenni; la Direttiva 2016/1919/UE del 26 ottobre 2016 sul patrocinio a spese dello Stato. I ricercatori coinvolti hanno combinato due diverse metodologie, esaminando la questione sia da una prospettiva tradizionale, condotta da studiosi specializzati in diritto dell'UE e diritto processuale penale nazionale, sia da una nuova analisi computazionale. Nell'ambito di quest'ultimo approccio, la ricerca ha sviluppato una piattaforma di intelligenza artificiale semi-automatizzata, per evidenziare meglio le lacune scoperte dei testi normativi e migliorare l'analisi comparativa tra i sistemi giuridici (https://www.crossjustice.eu/en/index.html#crossjustice-platform)   Il presente contributo si concentra – adottando un metodo tradizionale - sul modo in cui il legislatore italiano ha recepito e attuato le suddette direttive, sia con riferimento alle disposizioni normative sia nell'interpretazione giudiziaria dei vertici del sistema. Infatti, mentre l'acquis dell'UE stabilisce standard minimi comuni in materia di diritti processuali penali, la necessità di promuoverne un'applicazione efficace e coerente rimane particolarmente pressante a causa della forte frammentazione della legislazione nazionale e della relativa giurisprudenza. In termini generali, il quadro che emerge mostra alcuni punti di forza del sistema italiano, con particolare riferimento al diritto al difensore, al diritto all'informazione e alla disclosure (e, in misura meno uniforme, alle regole di esclusione probatoria quando si tratti di tutelare le violazioni delle garanzie difensive). Non mancano tuttavia alcune criticità, spesso legate alla prassi (ad esempio, la necessaria formazione che i difensori degli imputati vulnerabili dovrebbero ricevere, il patrocinio a spese dello Stato, la qualità e l'efficacia del diritto all'interprete e la tradizione degli atti). La presente analisi del sistema italiano, insieme a quella sviluppata per gli altri 10 Stati Membri dell’UE coinvolti nel progetto (Bulgaria, Croazia, Francia, Germania, Paesi Bassi, Polonia, Portogallo, Romania, Spagna, Svezia) ed ai risultati dell’analisi semantica dei testi normativi, fondata su tecniche di Intelligenza Artificiale, ha consentito di sviluppare una ricerca innovativa nei metodi e nei contenuti, che, oltre alla piattaforma Crossjustice, ha trovato recente pubblicazione anche in un volume edito da Brill (Giuseppe Contissa, Giulia Lasagni, Michele Caianiello, Giovanni Sartor (eds.), Effective Protection of the Rights of the Accused in the EU Directives. A Computable Approach to Criminal Procedure Law, 2022)

Evaluation of the impact of transient interruption of antiangiogenic treatment using ultrasound-based techniques in a murine model of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Development of escape pathways from antiangiogenic treatments was reported to be associated with enhanced tumor aggressiveness and rebound effect was suggested after treatment stop. Aim of the study was to evaluate tumor response simulating different conditions of administration of antiangiogenic treatment (transient or definitive treatment stop) in a mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: Subcutaneous tumors were created by inoculating 5 7 10(6) Huh7 cells into the right flank of 14 nude mice. When tumor size reached 5-10 mm, mice were divided in 3 groups: group 1 was treated with placebo, group 2 was treated with sorafenib (62 mg/kg via gavage) but temporarily suspended from day +5 to +9, whereas in group 3 sorafenib was definitively stopped at day +5. At day +13 all mice were sacrificed, collecting masses for Western-Blot analyses. Volume was calculated with B-mode ultrasonography at day 0, +5, +9, +11 and +13. VEGFR2-targeted contrast-enhanced ultrasound using BR55 (Bracco Imaging) was performed at day +5 and +13 and elastonosography (Esaote) at day +9 and +11 to assess tumor stiffness. RESULTS: Median growth percentage delta at day +13 versus day 0 was 197% (115-329) in group 1, 81% (48-144) in group 2 and 111% (27-167) in group 3. Median growth delta at day +13 with respect to day +5 was 79% (48-127), 37% (-14128) and 81% (15-87) in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Quantification of targeted-CEUS at day +13 showed higher values in group 3 (509 Arbitrary Units AI, range 293-652) than group 1 (275 AI, range 191-494) and group 2 (181 AI, range 63-318) (p=0.033). Western-Blot analysis demonstrated higher VEGFR2 expression in group 3 with respect to group 1 and 2. CONCLUSIONS: A transient interruption of antiangiogenic treatment does not impede restoration of tumor response, while a definitive interruption tends to stimulate a rebound of angiogenesis to higher level than without treatment

Shanghai Fever: Not Only an Asian Disease

Objectives: To describe a case of Shanghai fever disease and to analyze other published reports in non-Asiatic countries, defining clinical characteristics and highlighting that this is not only an Asian disease. Study design: A computerized search without language restriction was conducted using PubMed and Scopus; all references listed were hand-searched to identify any other relevant literature. An article was considered eligible for inclusion in the systematic review if it reported cases with Shanghai fever described in non-Asiatic countries. Our case was also included in the analysis. Results: Ten articles reporting 10 cases of Shanghai fever disease were considered. Fever, diarrhea and ecthyma gangrenosum were the most frequent symptoms observed. Blood was the most common site of isolation for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Three patients underwent surgery due to necrotizing enteritis and intestinal perforation. Meningitis was documented in one case. None of the patients received antipseudomonal antibiotics within 24 h of admission. The outcome was good in nine cases; only one patient died due to multiple organ failure from Pseudomonas sepsis. No common primary immune deficiency was identified in these patients. Extremely young age (<1 year) was the only host factor predisposing to Shanghai fever. Conclusions: It is important to shed light on this disease in non-Asiatic countries and take into account that it can also affect healthy children. Pediatricians, therefore, should consider Shanghai fever among diagnoses in children with community-onset diarrhea, fever and skin lesions suggestive of ecthyma gangrenosum to start an appropriate treatment sooner and to reduce the mortality in these children